ETDs

This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.

In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.

Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.

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A High-resolution Recalculation of the Wildland Urban Interface Reveals Over $1 Trillion of California’s Residential Structures Are at Risk to Wildfire

Description
Wildfire is a significant risk to property and people in the state of California. In 2018 alone, California's wildfire damages were estimated to be $148.5 Billion or 1.5% of the state's gross domestic product. Wildfire risks to property and people are at their highest at the intersection of flammable wildland…

Wildfire is a significant risk to property and people in the state of California. In 2018 alone, California's wildfire damages were estimated to be $148.5 Billion or 1.5% of the state's gross domestic product. Wildfire risks to property and people are at their highest at the intersection of flammable wildland vegetation and the built environment, a space called the Wildland Urban Interface or “WUI”. Existing methods for delineating the WUI, however, tend to be coarse in both spatial and temporal resolution, resulting in less precise estimates of WUI extent and change. This thesis uses high-resolution spatio-temporal data and classification methods to remap the WUI in California and to reassess the risk of residents and homes to wildfire. The findings from this analysis reveal that approximately $1.34 Trillion or 40% of the improved residential property value in the state falls within high wildfire risk areas. Likewise, areas classified as WUI account for over 10% of California's land area or a total of 43,205 square kilometers. While WUI areas cover a considerable portion of the state, the addition of a temporal element in this research shows WUI growth in California has slowed considerably over the past 10 years. The unique structure-level data integration strategy applied in this thesis provides a streamlined and expandable process for monitoring the WUI, enabling these new estimates of the hazard risk profiles of areas, structures, and people.
ContributorsBerg, Aleksander K (Author) / Connor, Dylan (Thesis advisor) / Kedron, Peter (Thesis advisor) / Bagchi-Sen, Sharmistha (Committee member) / Frazier, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
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The Spectral Ecology of a Highly Polymorphic Tree Species

Description
Remote sensing, with its capacity to capture continuous, high spatial and spectral resolution data, has emerged as an invaluable tool for ecological research and addressing conservation challenges. To fully harness the potential of remote sensing, spectral ecology has emerged as a field that investigates the interactions between the electromagnetic spectrum…

Remote sensing, with its capacity to capture continuous, high spatial and spectral resolution data, has emerged as an invaluable tool for ecological research and addressing conservation challenges. To fully harness the potential of remote sensing, spectral ecology has emerged as a field that investigates the interactions between the electromagnetic spectrum and biological processes. This dissertation capitalizes on a model system to explore the spectral ecology of a dominant, highly polymorphic, keystone, and endemic tree species (Metrosideros polymorpha). M. polymorpha not only serves as a model organism for studying adaptive radiation and intraspecific variation but also presents a critical conservation challenge. The recent introduction of the fungal disease Ceratocystis lukuohia has resulted in millions of M. polymorpha mortalities. This dissertation employs leaf-level spectroscopy data and canopy-level imaging spectroscopy data. Imaging spectroscopy captures reflectance across the visible to short-wave infrared (VSWIR) spectrum to provide high-spectral resolution data that enable canopy trait retrievals, species classifications, disease resistance detection, and genotype differentiation. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction, framing the subsequent chapters by presenting an overview of spectral ecology, imaging spectroscopy, and M. polymorpha. Chapter 2 explores M. polymorpha trait and spectra variation across environmental gradients. This chapter concludes that intraspecific variation follows the leaf economic spectrum and that elevation is a dominant driver of M. polymorpha trait and spectral variation. In Chapter 3, leaf-level spectroscopy was able to discriminate between sympatric, conspecific varieties of M. polymorpha and their hybrids as well as individuals resistant and susceptible to Ceratocystis wilt. Together, Chapters 2 and 3 support the concept of “genetic turnover,” akin to species turnover, wherein environmental conditions filter M. polymorpha genotypes present in a given region. Chapter 4 classifies M. polymorpha across the over 10,000 km2 of Hawai'i Island to aid in conservation efforts, demonstrating the potential of imaging spectroscopy to classify vegetation on large geographic scales. The final chapter builds on the prior chapters to present a M. polymorpha genetic diversity map for Hawai'i Island. In conclusion, this dissertation examines the spectral ecology of a model system to advance the understanding of ecological dynamics and address a pressing conservation challenge.
ContributorsSeeley, Megan (Author) / Asner, Gregory P (Thesis advisor) / Turner II, Billie L (Thesis advisor) / Martin, Roberta E (Committee member) / Frazier, Amy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023